Comforting Lie
by Melika
Summary: Nehelenia has escaped her prison and disrupted Time when she realizes Helios is not the only guardian of Elysion; his twin sister is. Please R/R
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Sailor Moon characters ( Naoko Takeuchi does, and we all bless her for having the talent to create these life-like girls!)   
but I do own Bryony and Riley, kay? Enjoy!  
  
  
I'm finding my way back to sanity again  
Though I don't really know what I'm gonna do when I get there  
Take a breath and hold on tight  
Spin around one more time and  
Gracefully fall back to the arms of Grace  
I am hanging on every word you're saying  
Even if you don't wanna speak tonight that's all right  
All right with me  
Cause I want nothing more than to sit outside Heaven's door  
And listen to you breathing, is where I want to be, yeah  
I am looking past the shadows of my mind into the truth and  
I'm trying to identify the voices in my head  
God, which one's you?  
Let me feel one more time what it feels like to feel  
And break these calluses off of me one more time  
Snippet from " Breathing" by Lifehouse  
  
  
  
  
  
Prologue  
Muugen Building  
  
" At long last, you reveal yourself."   
Uranus and Neptune smiled triumphantly at their finding. Dr. Tomoe laughed like the madman he was.  
" Yes, actually, you're just in time...the celebration's about to begin!"  
He moved over to the side, and what they saw their made them gasp in terror.  
" Oh, no, Sailor Mini Moon!" Neptune screamed in fear.  
" No! Ahhhhh!" Uranus made an enraged running leap for the little girl, hand outstretched as if to grab her.  
FWAP!  
Electricity shot through Uranus's body, jolting her thoroughly as she hit the barrier and was thrown back violently.  
" Uranus!" Neptune stooped to hold her, staring with hatred at the doctor.  
" Oh, Neptune...the energy barrier is really high voltage!" Maniacal laughter filled the hall, accompioneed with   
the laughter of their main enemy, Kaori Night.  
Footsteps rained echoes through the building, and the last five scouts ran in.  
" Uranus!"  
" Neptune!"  
Uranus looked up through pain-shot eyes, and smiled a little when she saw Sailor Moon. One of the few precious   
times she was glad to see her...Maybe she could save her daughter.  
The scouts helped Neptune get Uranus in a sitting position, and Sailor Moon happened to look over...  
" Rini!" Serena shot forward, terrified for the little girl on the altar.  
" STOP!" Uranus screamed, struggling to get up stop her, but she was too late.  
FWAP!  
" Ahhh!" Serena cried out in pain, and was flung backwards on her back.  
" Sailor Moon!" Mars, Venus, Mercury and Jupiter crowded around her and helped her up.  
The doctor laughed as the girl in the throne awakened, her eyes glowing a burning red.  
  
***  
  
Miles away, a girl walking down the street suddenly collapsed.  
" Miss! Are you okay?" A man leaned down, concerned, as she gave a cry of pain for no apparent reason.   
Other strangers came up to help, and they got her in a sitting position.  
" What's wrong?" A woman asked.  
The girl looked dazed, the pain fading from her ruby eyes." I don't know." She shook her head, and arched   
her back in pain as another shock coursed through her body.  
" I think I need to get home," she said through gritted teeth.  
The man helped her up, brushing dust off her back." Come on, tell me where you live, I'll take you home."  
" Wait-" the lady stopped the two and put a hand on the girl's arm." You dropped this." She handed her a golden   
bracelet that fell off her wrist." It's beautiful. Where did you get it?"  
The girl smiled sightly, and put it back on." A gift, an heirloom from my mother. I don't know where its twin went."  
  
***  
  
The purple hand shot out of the little girl's body, her purple eyes seemed to have a life of their own, as her body   
floated up and out of the chair, eager for the pure heart crystal and the power it would bring her.  
" No, stop! Mini-Moon-! Mini-Moon-AH!" Sailor Moon wailed, clutching her wrist." Mini-Moon!"  
" She's so lovely," Tomoe marveled.  
The hand reached down, and plunged into Rini's chest.  
" AH-" she screamed in pain, clutching the hand that intruded, pulling her heart crystal out.  
Rini's body shuddered. and she opened her eyes, smiling." Oh. My friend Hotaru. So glad you're safe and sound."  
She fainted as the heart crystal came out.  
" No! Rini, no!" Sailor Moon's tears fell." Stop, she's only a child-"  
  
***  
  
" Ah-" the girl collapsed the moment she closed the door for the kind stranger, her body racked with pain again. She   
slid to the floor behind the door, gasping out air as her lungs seem to burn.  
Where is this pain coming from?! she thought wildly. Struggling, she tried to get up, but collapsed again with pain.   
She clutched her heart with her hand....Everything seemed to hurt! Her head, her legs, arms, back...but her heart burned so   
much!  
With strength she didn't know she possessed, she got upon her elbows and knees, and crawled down the hall to the guest bedroom,  
through to the bed and clambered up in it, finally collapsing again with agony. Curling up in the fetal position, she shivered   
miserably and waited for the pain to stop.  
  
***  
  
" No! If Sailor Saturn is revived, this world will be destroyed!" Uranus shouted.  
" Hotaru, stop it!" Sailor Moon pleaded." Please stop her now! If you're Hotaru's father, if you love Hotaru, just stop it!"  
" Love?" Tomoe turned." I have no idea what you mean."  
Hotaru swallowed the crystal.  
And Mistress Nine appeared.   
The Sovereign of Silence.  
  
***  
  
The girl screamed in anguish, her body writhing once in unimaginable torture as all her muscles flexed, then stilled.  
The arm that was reaching for the phone collapsed to the ground. 


	2. The Amazonness discovery

Chapter I  
  
" I got nothing left to defend, I cannot pretend that everything makes sense..."  
Lifehouse, " Unknown"  
  
Present time  
  
A sweaty and tired Neptune came up beside Sailor Moon." I don't know how much longer we can keep this up!"  
Serena gritted her teeth." Just a little longer. I don't want to have to use my scepter unless  
it's absolutely necesary, but..."  
" I think it's necessary, Sailor Moon!" Sailor Uranus shouted behind her. She blew away  
the demon and had another one come up and punch just hard enough to send her flying back on   
her feet.  
" We need back up, Sailor Moon!" Mercury shouted from a place nearby.  
" Saturn Death Reborn Revolution!"  
" Aeolus Star Eruption!"  
" Speak of the devil," Amara muttered as all heads turned toward the figures.  
Blinding light, both white and gray, swept the area, causing an uproar of thunder and wind to swirl around the   
now more powerful scouts, until they had to fight to stay on their feet. Eternal Sailor Moon covered her head and face   
with her arms as debri flew, and each scout fended for herself against the onsalught of power.  
Until it all stopped.  
Silence reigned but the few feeble coughs gave off by the senshi.  
As the dust cleared around them, Uranus looked up from the shelter of her arms, her eyes still tearing from the   
record-breaking winds. Two other scouts made themsleves known by walking past the burn marks that used to be demons on   
the floor, mist swirling at their feet and around the glaives both carried. The shorter one dressed in purple and black   
carried a sickle-shaped glaive, the taller edge hooking over the smaller that resembled the flat of an axe, while the   
taller one, in all white and blue, carried a blade only different than the other by the way it narrowed to an arrowhead   
on the shorter end. They stopped in front of the scouts, smiling slightly.  
Serena rolled her eyes." So much for powering up."  
" Boy, they sure know how to make an entrance," Jupiter muttered. They all powered down.  
Neptune smiled." So Hotaru, Bryn...what took you guys so long?"  
The white suited senshi shrugged and both responded.  
" Traffic."  
" We had to finish lunch."  
Venus paused." Now who do you think's lying?"  
  
***  
  
Tokyo: after Heartsnatchers, before Galaxia  
  
  
" Get her!"  
" She's getting away!"  
The young girl ran as fast as her legs would allow, the breath being ripped out of her lungs as if being stolen by   
some unknown force...Her legs pumped as she ran faster...It seemed as if her lungs were gonna burst, how long could she   
keep this up? A lock of long, curly blonde hair whipped into her face and angrily, she shoved it aside and still kept   
running.  
What did they want from her?  
" Come on, darling, we don't want to hurt you-"  
" We just want to look at your dreams!"  
Horrible laughter followed her down the dark alleyway, past the circus tent she came from...she never dreamed this   
would happen to her, and where were those sailor scouts on the news all the time? Why didn't they come, didn't they fight   
this stuff all the time? Couldn't they hear her cries for help, didn't they have a sixth sense that told them when someone   
was in trouble?! Where were they when she needed them? And where did the scary girls go? She could hear them, but she   
couldn't see them!  
Suddenly the laughter stopped. Curious, she stopped running, trying to make her heaving breaths quiet down, but was   
failing miserably. She was so worn out from running...Where were they? Had they left her alone, finally?  
She barely had time to let out a strangled scream before a hand clamped down on her mouth, and another wrapped around   
her shoulders.  
She lifted her arms up to fight her unseen attacker, before it lifted her off the ground and swung her up-waaay up   
until...  
She blacked out.  
  
  
" Come on, I think she went this way!"  
" Hold on, Vesu, not all of us are as fast as you!!"  
" You're such a wimp, Cere."  
" I am not!"  
" Yes, you are."  
" You're one to talk, JunJun. Look who lost the girl; it certainly wasn't me!"  
The three, minus ParaPara, continued down the alleyway, ignoring the chill of the night and wishing they had put on   
more clothes for the first time in a while.  
" Yeah, well, it wasn't my fault she tried to bite me-"  
The three stopped abruptly at the thing blocking their path.  
A cloaked figure stood in their way, looking almost comfortable in the brown cloak covering most of her body   
including her head, with her arms tucked into the sleeves. She was a little taller than they, and stared them down coolly   
with catlike ruby eyes, the only feature they could see of her face in the dark besides the cross she wore around her neck.  
" Hey, have you seen a little blonde girl running through here?" Vesu asked curiously, not realizing anything   
peculiar.  
The girl stood silently.  
" Well?"  
She blinked slightly." Why are you looking for her?"  
Cere lost her patience." Listen, girl, either get out of our way or-"  
" Tell us where the girl went!" Vesu and Jun finished impatiently.  
The girl smiled." Oh, you mean that girl."  
" You've seen her, then?" Jun asked excitedly.  
" Are you looking for this one?" She held out her arms, and with a PWOOF of dust and light, the pre-teen appeared in   
her arms, passed out and pale from running. Her pale golden locks hung limp in the air, swaying with the slight breeze. The  
female held her under her knees and wrapped an arm around her  
neck, the child's face upturned and stained with traces of dirt. The cloaked girl knew this one well, well enough to know   
she would wake up fit and fine the next morning, with no fear of this night.   
Jun's eyes narrowed curiously. She couldn't help but notice the shining glint of gold on her left wrist, and the   
power it seemed to emanate-what looked like a charm bracelet dangled there, the only identification she seemed to have.   
And with her sharp vision, her bright green eyes could just make out a cross, an angel, a bird...and a star.  
" Yes, that's her!" Cere smiled." Okay, now hand her over-"  
" No." With another PWOOF the girl disappeared as quickly as she came.  
" Hey!" All three Amazoness eyes narrowed." What did you go and do that for, hand her over!" Jun growled.  
The girl's eyes narrowed in turn." I know damn well who you are and what you planned to do with her. She is not the   
holder you are looking for, and I will make sure you never find the right holder!"  
" How does she know all that?" Cere whispered.  
" Just who exactly are you??" Vesu asked suspicously.  
" I could ask you the same question." She raised a hand, and with a shimmer a sickle-shaped glaive with a dark globe   
on one side appeared in her hand, causing the girls to gasp." But know this, Vesu. You know me. I know you do. But if you   
don't, I suggest you ask your queen. Tell her Helios's twin said 'hi.'"  
With that, she vanished.  
Cere gasped and turned wildly to her friends." The Guardian has a sister?!"  
  
The trio walked nervously back to the tent in silence.  
Cere decided to break it." Zerk-face is gonna kill us, you know."  
Jun frowned, kicking up dirt with the toe of her shoe." Yeah, I know. We lost the target cause of that stupid girl-"  
" I'm not worried about the target, and you shouldn't be, either," Vesu put in, passing a glance at the two." That   
chick wasn't joking. And she snatched that girl away just like that!" She snapped her fingers to prove it." She was quick,   
and I've never seen a weapon like that. She could be one of those Sailor bumpkins."  
Cere smiled a little while Jun responded." Yeah, but she was working alone. The Sailor snoots never work alone.   
They're not powerful enough," she added with a smirk.  
The pink-haired pixie shivered a little when they came up the tent, hearing the music going on inside." Well, we have  
to report this to Queen Nehelenia, but I'm so nervous-"  
" Don't be. What can she do?" Jun replied reassuringly." It wasn't our fault that psycho girl took away the target.   
So we have a new enemy," she shrugged." So what?" That didn't stop the shivers trailing down her spine as they crossed the   
tent to the magic mirror where the queen lay.  
  
***  
  
" And she told us we knew her and she knows us-"  
Vesu cut Jun off with a shove on the elbow before turning her complete attention to the figure in the mirror, red   
eyes wide." And basically she told us to tell you she's Helios's sister, and she said 'hi.' Do you know what she meant,   
Nehelenia?"  
The Dark Moon queen listened carefully to the story information her girls fed to her.   
Hmm... It seemed true enough. And from the look on ParaPara's face, she wasn't there when it happened-she either had   
no clue what was going on or she was fascinated by their story.  
All four paused and looked up at the image of their queen behind the mirror, who stared back down at them. They   
seemed to wait for approval or a remark from her.  
" Very good, my Amazoness." They visibly relaxed, and stood back up from their kneeling positions." I am pleased in  
your work, but tell me again: what did this 'girl' look like?"  
" We couldn't tell what her hair looked like, it was covered by the hood she wore," CereCere replied." And it looked   
dark, but it could have been the lighting. Her skin looked kinda dark, and she was skinny but strong-"  
" Okay, Ms. Fashion, queen Nehelenia doesn't care about her skin tone," Jun muttered, earning a jab in the side from   
Cere.  
Cere narrowed her pink eyes at the green nymph before continuing." Okay, anyways, she had real bright red eyes, and   
when she made the girl appear, I noticed a charm bracelet on her left wrist-"  
" You noticed that, too?" Jun and Vesu butt in.  
Cere stared at them coldly." Yeah, I'm sure you guys aren't blind, either. Well, the only things I remember on it was   
a cross, like the one she had around her neck, and a star."  
Jun cut in quickly," And there was an angel and a bird on there, too-"  
" A star?...That's odd..." Nehelenia commented nonchalantly. They nodded eagerly. Feigning disinterest, the queen   
faked a yawn and covered it." Well that's all very intriguing, just don't lose the target next time, okay?" They nodded.  
" You may take your leave." She shooed them away, then turned to stare at her prize, eyes narrowed in thought.  
Great. Just what she needed. Another enemy, and probably in league with those sailor brats that kept showing up at   
every raid the girls did. It was almost if they could sense the presence of her girls. They seemed to ruin everything, and   
if she wasn't in this blasted mirror she would go out there and kick their girly asses herself.  
Now this new young girl who could make a child appear and disappear...  
A cloaked young girl...well, the cloak means nothing, but the eyes...Exotic eyes. And, claiming to be the boy's   
sister...The powers she has, a magician's or a sorceress's no ordinary powers indeed...Powers almost like a scout's, and   
yet...Wait.  
Quickly, she strode across the hall, the information suddenly clicking in her head. She hissed out a breath as she   
came upon the bird-like cage, sparing the being a cold look (what secrets are you hiding, boy?). Roughly she tore free the   
nearest pale wrist from the web and stared, in horror, at the exact same bracelet of identification on the boy, only in   
silver...a cross...an angel...a dove...  
And a star.  
" No." She threw his hand away, and the web instantly replaced itself." Dammit," she gritted her teeth. So it was   
true...The ones who...escaped...She was...The sister was one of them! The princess of Elysion was alive!   
"DAMMIT!" 


	3. Neighbors

Chapter II  
  
" I've been trapped inside of my own mind, afraid to open my eyes to what I'd find..."  
Lifehouse," Quasimodo"  
  
4 years prior  
  
" Queen Nehelenia."  
The dark-haired queen turned to face her wizard, Zirconia. A sniveling, short, grey and wrinkled old alien, stooped   
over with nothing better to do than screech out orders, she could never understand her dependence on him. She sighed. But   
it was there, nonetheless.  
" Yes, Zirconia."  
" We are almost complete with the destruction of Elysion."  
She smiled cruelly on the other side of the glass. Just what she wanted to hear." And everyone and everything's frozen,   
then."  
The slight pause from her 'mentor' had her whipping around." There aren't any survivors, are there?!" she shouted,   
demanding an answer.  
Zirconia visibly flinched." There shouldn't be, madame, but shortly before we had finished freezing the land, one of the   
soldiers caught sight of a comet of light, or flying device, speeding out of the dimension. We don't know all of who could   
have been aboard, but we expect it to be this land's royal family, if there was any to begin with."  
Nehelenia steamed. Her sickly pale cheeks turned red with the effort not to lash out, but her worse judgement prevailed. A   
quick surge of her power sent Zorconia to the floor with a large crack in the concrete on the other side of the mirror.  
" You foolish idiot!" she hissed out, cat-slit eyes narrowed and pissed." Do you realize that this'll probably mean more   
enemies for us??!!"  
" But, my queen," Zirconia argued as he struggled to stand up," if they were trained warriors, they would not flee their   
homeland, they would stay and fight for it!" She was ready to lash out again when she stopped and considered what he said.   
Her eyes narrowed, this time in possibility." Hm...Maybe you're not so useless and stupid, after all... There could be   
truth in what you say..." Comforted that the refugees wouldn't pose a threat, she shrugged." We'll worry about the   
survivors when the time comes, but right now..." She turned, disregarding Zirconia's presence completely and walking   
toward the entangled figure knotted into the caged ball of tough spider web.  
She stooped slightly to get a good look at the pale, beautiful face of the male guardian she loathed yet loved, stripped   
of everything but the woven spider web encased around stretches of skin as his body slept, awaiting return of his life,   
his soul. She ran her fingers through the ear-length white hair, touching the unicorn's horn on his head briefly, watching   
it spark to life, then go dull.  
" You should have listened to me, Helios," she said sweetly." You should have said yes. And now look who's suffering.   
It certainly isn't me, you know." She leaned closer to his face, his ear so he could hear her through his coma-like sleep.  
" Looks like you might have family or friends that escaped. Lucky them. Until I hunt them down." Her maniacal laughter   
echoed through the hall and caused Zirconia and all that could hear to flinch visibly, as their queen reveled in the   
thought of murdering Elysion scum and taking what's rightly hers back from the White Moon princess...  
  
***  
Present time  
  
7:30.  
Buuuuuuuuuuzzzzzzzzz...  
" Shut up," a cute blonde girl murmured sleepily, tangled in her sheets (including her long hair) like there was no   
tomorrow. The alarm continued to annoy everyone in the household but the sleeping beauty, who seemed to content to lay   
dormant in the land of dreams with her sweet lover...  
" SERENA!" A boy ran into the room and leapt onto the bed, unfortunately onto her, as well.  
" YOOOWWW!" She shot straight up, trying to stand but failing miserably as her feet and legs entwined even further in the   
sheets. She fell flat on her face on the floor.  
Sammy, her little brother, laughed and pointed." Serves ya right, sleepyhead! Mom's given up waking you up, so I guess   
you'll have to got to school late again!"  
" Well jeez, Sam, I didn't think you cared so much. And it's no excuse to jump on the bed and scare a body half to death!"   
Serena shot him an annoyed look before clamoring up on her hands and knees to stare at the clock. She shrieked as loud as   
Godly possible." Oh my gosh, I'm gonna be LATE!"  
Sammy chuckled to himself as she zipped around the room, throwing clothes together and disciplining herself about not   
getting up on time." Your blouse is right behind you, sis," he called out to help as she searched frantically for them.  
She eyed him spitefully as she whipped it up." Funny, Sam." She raced around the room, trying desperately to find matching   
socks and her uniform skirt, while Sammy watched a peculiar moving truck pull up in the house across the street.  
" Hey, somebody's moving in the house across the street," he piped up.  
Serena stopped long enough to jump over and look out. They were pulling up the door in the back of the truck, revealing   
furniture, boxes and headboards for beds." Oh, wow, the Kizuna's finally moved out. Hmm. Wonder who'll be moving in."  
Sammy grinned as he looked at his watch." Wonder how many hours you'll be late this time, Ser."  
" Serena!" her mother called from downstairs, as if to prove Sammy's point." You're gonna be late again, sweety, come on   
down and get some breakfast, at least!"  
" ARGH!" She ran to the other side of the room, spotting her skirt, and swooped it up. She turned to stare at her brother.  
" Kindly leave the room while I change," she said haughtily, making Sammy grin. He stuck his tongue out at her before   
racing from the room to escape her screams of rage.  
" I hate little BROTHERS! And I'm gonna be LATE!"  
  
***  
  
" Why did we have to move so far out in the suburbs, Bryn?" the girl grumbled. Her voice was muffled by the box she stuck her head in in an effort to find out   
what she put in there." It's stupid. Our apartment was so much better-right in the middle of everything. We didn't even have to leave the block to know if there was   
trouble. Ow!" She hissed and rubbed the white-blonde hair on her head as she stood upright, eyeing the cabinet door suspiciously." What a fabulous start to our new   
move," she ended sarcastically." Bryony! Where are you?" The nymph grabbed a nearby hairtie and pulled her hair up, mindful of the bump growing at the very top of   
her skull. She found her elusive friend in the backyard, hands on her hips as she looked around at all the furniture the movers left there." What are you doing?"  
" Why'd they have to put the heavy stuff in the backyard?" her friend frowned, looking down at the white couch in the grass." Now there'll be grass stains on   
the bottom."  
" Nothing we can't fix, Brynni."  
A hiss behind her as she stooped down to grab a coke from the nearby cooler made her smile." Don't call me that. It's a pet name."  
" Oh, that's right." Riley turned around to grin at her friend around her drink." And you're not a pet, are you?"  
Bryn sent her a dirty look before tucking her hair behind her ears, a move she doesn't do often, and running over barefoot to a few boxes full of pretty things   
both of them liked to put around the house, just to look at.  
Riley watched her thoughtfully." You should cut your hair."  
" Like bloody hell."  
She snorted." Come here, put those down and help me with the couch. We're big girls, we can lift it."  
Bryn came over and reached down to lift one end of it." The front living room?"  
Riley bit her lip." Uhh, yeah. Wait..." Bryony's red eyes narrowed." Yeah. With the two white chairs, and we can put the older burgundy couch and love seat   
in the back room. Why do they call it a love seat?"  
Her friend grunted with her as they lifted the couch and moved it in the wide open sliding doors with Bryn walking backwards and Riley going forwards.  
" Because there's just enough room on the couch for two people."  
" It's still stupid."  
" Riley, get over it and stop slowing down, I want my wrists still attached to my arms before this is over."  
" What crawled up your ass?"  
" This is heavy."  
" Okay, this is fine." They both heaved out breaths as they dropped it vertically in the room, right where the tile for the hallway stops and the carpet for the   
living room began." Good, it faces where the tv's going," Riley smiled.  
Bryn raised a white eyebrow at her." Who says a tv's going in here?"  
Riley's crystal blue gaze met her friend's cherry red ones." God, I love your enthusiasm, Bryn. It's so catching."  
" It wasn't me who blew up the last apartment," Bryn said under her breath as she walked past.  
" Hey, dammit, it's NOT my fault you coudn't keep the bastards from reaching the apartment." A cupboard door in the kitchen slammed." I was defending my   
territory!" Riley shouted.  
A laugh came from the other end of the house, making her smile." Your territory? You were meditating in your room and you got pissed off when they came in.  
After you let them beat the shit out of me and ransack the best of the plates and stuff we had."  
" It's not my fault you couldn't beat them," Riley added, knowing they were war words. A white head popped out of a cupboard where she was putting away   
dishes." And I'm not kidding-your hair's down to your butt practically, and your bangs are longer than your chin. Not to mention the fact that your hair is as white as   
snow and it's like this glaring flashlight that lets everyone and his monkey know we're there."  
" I'm not dying my hair from it's natural color," Bryn said between clenched teeth. She ran a hand through the hair in question, threading it through her fingers   
so she could look at it. So her mother had white hair, so what! Well...at least she imagined she did. It was a genetic defect, not that she could help it. Besides, she liked it.  
" I'm not saying you should, it looks good and everything, but..." Riley sighed." Look, truce." She held out a tanned hand.  
Bryn looked at it skeptically, then looked up into Riley's eyes. She didn't have to read her mind to know she was being sincere. Smiling a little half smile, she   
reached out and shook her best friend's hand." Truce," she said in her soft, low voice." I know it wasn't entirely your fault the apartment, uh...Isn't there anymore. We   
both have an...anger problem."  
" Talk about understatement," Riley said under her breath.  
Bryn smiled quickly." Yeah, really. We'll deal. I feel some heavy energy sources over here, we might get lucky."  
Riley looked up, smirking." Oh come on-we've been looking for allies for months, it's like we're the only idiots fighting off the Dead Moon."  
" No, we're not, I've heard talk of them, they exist," Bryn said patiently, belying what she felt inside." The Dead Moon Circus is going down, and their queen's   
going with it. We need to go more in depth in our searches. Riley, for God's sake, you're a trained sorceress-"  
" I know, but God," Riley bared her teeth in frustration, flashing tiny, wicked little fangs on either side of her front teeth-the same ones Bryn had." How come   
people are so stupid? Why can't they see the danger they're in?"  
Bryn shrugged, resting her arms on one knee as she looked out the window, her eyes far away. A soft breeze blew her long white hair around her face, the   
bangs brushing her cheeks; a total contrast to her tanned skin. She looked odd to most people, but to another sprite or Faerie, she was stunning." Maybe it's better that   
people don't know," she said, almost to herself." Better that the only people who knows about this are the people that can do something about it." She looked up at the   
sky." Maybe that's why God leaves us clueless and blind to what's really going on..."  
" We'll find them," she heard Riley say, almost forcefully confident." We can't do this alone anymore. I still want to find out..." she stopped and shook her head,   
then smiled too brightly." Hey, why don't we blow all this off and enroll?"  
A blank look crossed Bryn's face." Huh?"  
" Enroll!" She ran over and grabbed Bryn's arm, earning a surprised and baffled look from her friend. Secretly, Riley was delighted; lately, she could never get   
a true emotional reaction from her friend; well, anger and annoyance, but it was always a treat to be able to get Bryn to smile, laugh, or look startled or puzzled. And if   
she looks happy or puzzled, odds are...  
" We're going to school!"  
  
***  
  
Back in the cold recesses of the small planet orbiting meekly around the white moon, something stirred to life. Too disturbed to lay dormant in slumber, it raised   
its head to stare forsakingly down at the earth, ignoring the moon completely.  
Elysion, I know you're there, somewhere, it thought to itself. It not only hungered for dreams, it hungered for the dreamworld itself. I know you defeated   
Nehelenia once. But that can all change, oh yes it can. And once I'm strong enough, I'll make you shudder underneath my feet. Shaking off centuries of   
defilement, its menacing gray eyes studied the planet it would soon land, hoping the queen would be easy to find... 


	4. School Days

Chapter III  
  
" I want to feel something, to be something...I want to find one thing that was mine and leave this behind..."  
"Untitled" by Fuel  
  
"...So I told him that if he was really good and wouldn't bug me for the day, I'd buy him ice cream!" Mina   
laughed with Amy and Lita as she finished her story." And he hasn't bugged me at all this morning, he just sat on   
his pillow and watched me get ready for school!"  
Lita laughed at the thought." Poor Artemis-and you actually got up on time, too!"  
" I know!" Mina laughed." Wish Raye was here, she'd crack up!"  
" She would," Amy agreed. Fussing with her school skirt, she clutched her books against her chest and wished   
for the millionth time school was closer to her home-but she sort of liked the exercise in a way.  
" Where's Serena?" Lita suddenly asked.  
Mina and Amy paused to look at their tall friend. She stared back down at them with wide, curious green eyes.  
" She said she'd come early today so I could help her study for that history test first hour."  
Mina snorted." Right. She's probably still catching up on her Zz's, I wouldn't plan any more early morning   
study sessions, Lita."  
" Mina's right," Amy nodded, looking a little regretful at the crestfallen look on Lita's face." She probably   
meant to. You know Serena, Lita..." she shrugged helplessly, once again a little ashamed that Serena couldn't bring   
herself to getting up a little earlier, or at least sleeping in earlier, to allow a friend to help her. But then   
again, Serena wasn't exactly happy about the news that Darien was going away to medical school in America.  
The girl sighed at the thought. It was gonna be a long day.  
  
***  
  
" I think I see the school from here!" Riley strained on her tiptoes to see through the trees, jumping slightly   
to get a better view. Very aware of the silence next to her, she turned and looked at Bryony, sighing a little inside.   
She looked so dejected, walking a little slumped forward, hands clasped behind her, eyes staring straight ahead. Just   
to rebel against Riley and the idea of going to school, she left her hair down to blow with the wind and wore regular   
flared jeans and a red t-shirt with a heart on it that matched her eyes. Riley took it upon herself to wear a blue   
skirt and a sky blue silk t-shirt for the occasion- just because she was old was no excuse not to be fashionable.  
Old. It was no secret at all that the two were not human. They didn't hide it because there wasn't much to hide.   
Riley never pulled her hair up in public because neither of them could hide their pointy ears, and Bryn could get away   
with it because of her bangs. Luckily, their fangs only liked to show up during extreme fits of emotion-anger,   
tiredness, and even sadeness. Such are the costs of being descendents of a straight-line of nymphs.  
" You don't have to be so grouchy about it," Riley said quietly." It would look odd if we didn't go to school.   
I know it's pointless, but we might actually have a better chance at finding other Senshi if we actually socialize and   
look."  
Bryn bit back a hiss. Everything her partner said was very true and very logical, but she didn't have to admit   
it."   
Yeah, sure." She didn't have to turn her head to know Riley was smiling. The white-haired sprite rolled her eyes and   
looked around a bit, astonished at how stunning those pink heart shaped flowers on the trees were." They're quite   
exquisite," she commented, almost to herself, fingering the delicate pink petal that floated in the air near her   
face." Earth has such amazing beauty in the oddest places."   
Riley paused to notice them, smiling a little." Yeah, they are pretty." She plucked one, twirled it around her   
finger." I love the pink color."  
Bryony nodded, pink and yellow being her favorite colors. She looked ahead, noticing the school coming closer   
over the hill. She pursed her lips. It looked okay.' Oh, jeez, Bryn,' she thought to herself,' you're nervous and you   
know it. You just don't want to admit it. I can't believe I'm taking this so seriously! So what if they might not like   
me, it's not like we're going to be in the area long enough to care.' Nevertheless, she gnawed on her lower lip   
anxiously-  
And was plowed to the ground.  
" YAH!" She flung her arms wide, trying to catch herself as someone else's hands clutched her shoulders and   
pushed her down. She fell on her stomach with an 'Oomphf!', added to the weight of the girl on her back.  
Riley gaped at the two, taken by total surprise at the onslaught. The girl on top jumped up immediately after,   
streaming out "I'm sorry" over and over again as she helped Bryony up.  
" Oh, God, I'm so sorry," she wailed, brushing off Bryn's red shirt and jeans frantically, looking for any dirt.   
Much to the girl's utter surprise, she fixed her hair a little and put her cross on right so it lay on her chest, all   
the while repeating " I'm so sorry, I didn't hurt you, did I? Are you okay?"  
" I'm fine," Bryony replied, with a half smile at the comical situation. The girl smiled in reply ( she's   
pretty when she's not frantic, Bryn thought) and bowed in respect, shouting about being late and rushing down the   
street before the two could get another word in.  
They stared at each other, blue and red eyes wide.  
" That was the weirdest thing I've ever seen," Riley broke in.  
Bryn blinked, and stared down the sidewalk that the girl had teared down to reach the highschool in time. There   
was something about her...' Something about her aura...I can't place it.' Her eyes narrowed as she caught the last   
glimpse of the girl's long, trailing pigtails. She shook her head slightly, frowning as she tried to place it.   
Faintly, she heard a bell ring.' I hope she made it.'" Yeah, and about the weirdest hair style I've ever seen."  
Riley giggled as they walked on." Yeah! Looked like two meatballs on top of her head! Doesn't that tell ya   
what kinda day we're gonna have?"  
  
***  
  
" I HATE this school!" Bryony punched the locker was assigned." Why are they making us start today?! We just   
got our friggin' uniforms! They're crazy! Plus it's second hour, couldn't they have waited 'til tomorrow?!"  
Riley grinned and pulled the shirt over the tank top she already wore." You're just nervous about meeting   
new people and new...guys," she winked.  
" Damn right I am," Bryn grumbled, heading for the bathroom to change.  
The blonde chuckled as she followed her to change and get ready for their second hour: World History.  
  
  
  
" Hey," Mina sat down swiftly in the seat next to Amy and in front of Lita. Her long blonde hair swung out   
and settled at the movement while she grinned at her friends." I heard we're getting new classmates."  
Amy's ears pricked up." Oh, really? Foreign exchange students?"  
" Not quite, least that's not what Serena told me," Mina replied, checking her makeup in the compact mirror   
she had before class started. Satisifed, she snapped it shut and put it away, then turned to Amy, all smiles.  
" Apparently, Ser saw a big moving truck pull up in the drive of the house across the street the Kizuna's used to   
live in-the old couple?-she heard they're two teenage girls, and they're not on a foreign exchange deal, at least   
I don't think so. Anyway, she told me this a few minutes ago on the hall, I really hope we get to meet them!"  
" Me, too," Lita agreed, leaning over her desk to poke a pencil on Mina's ear." We've got a test in about   
five seconds, I hope you studied!"  
" Eek!" Mina screeched, frantically whipping up her history book." Nobody told me it was today!"  
Lita rolled her eyes." I mentioned it this morning." Amy giggled as Mina grumbled and moaned about not   
studying enough when-  
Serena ran in the moment the bell rang.  
" Ms. Tuskino!" The sensei strolled up behind her, placing a hand on her shoulder. Serena immediately   
stiffened and squeezed her eyes shut." So glad of you to come. Why are you late, and to second hour?"  
She sniffed." I was in the bathroom."  
Laughter erupted, and the sensei rolled his eyes." Take your seat, Serena." As she did, he walked to the front   
of the room, turning to watch the students watch him." As you know, there's a test today-" he raised his eyebrow at   
the audible sqeuak of dismay coming from Serena's direction-" about World War II and its affects on everyone around   
the globe, so I suggest you all take out your pencils, and-"  
Rap rap rap.  
Everyone turned toward the door. Frowning, the sensei walked over to the door and opened it ever so slightly.  
" Yes?"  
" Think it's the new students?" Mina asked breathlessly.  
" I don't know," Amy replied, taking out a pencil and lending her extra to a friend behind her.  
The sensei came back in the room, smiling-as he brought in the two new students.  
" Everyone, I would like you to meet Riley Zmuda and Bryony Akim."  
' Hey!' Previous anxieties forgotten, Serena sat up straight in the chair as the two walked in. Her blue eyes   
went wide.' Those are the girls I saw earlier today! And that's the one...' she blushed a little.' That I ran in to.'  
" Wow, they're pretty!" Mina whispered to Amy and Lita, who nodded back. The one on the left had nearly white-  
blonde hair that didn't quite reach her shoulders, and eyes so blue they could have been mistaken for the sky-she   
slightly taller than the other one, with a wide smile on her face and mischief in her eyes that told Mina she was   
probably an outgoing, nice person-someone Mina could get along with. Her friend had the coolest white-silverish   
hair that was really long, with bangs that varied from eye-length to chin-length.' Pretty,' Mina thought. Her eyes   
made her smile; wary, nervous ruby-colored eyes that scanned the class with a flicker of new-student-jitters. While   
the blonde's tan looked like it came from a lot of sun, her tan looked more natural and a bit darker against the   
white of her hair. She clutched her books tighter to her chest-the only jewelry on her was the gold cross and a cute   
gold charm bracelet on one of her wrists. Mina chuckled to herself.' She looks like a little schoolgirl in the   
playground with no one to talk to or play with.'   
She decided they would make great friends.  
' Hey, there's the girl who ran in to me!' Bryony thought, focusing on the young girl in the back of the room,   
blue eyes wide with recognition with a faint blush on her cheeks-couldn't mistake the pigtails, now could she? And   
she couldn't help but notice the other blonde in the classroom, up front, staring at her and Riley. Bryn blushed a   
little. She was really gorgeous!' Gee, makes me feel kinda ugly- like Riley does sometimes when she seems to draw   
ALL the male attention in the room to herself.'  
" Miss Akim?"  
" Huh?" She snapped back to reality, and turned to look at the sensei, who smiled at her." Yes, sensei?"  
" Would you care to tell the class a little bit about yourself and your friend, here?"  
' Oh, no! Please don't make me do this!!' Bryn bit her lip nervously, scanning the room again after looking   
into the irritatingly calm smile of Riley that hinted a trace of mockery in it. ' Remind me to kill you later,   
Riley.' She took a deep breath, grateful for the few understanding smiles some of the students shot at her.  
" Well..." she cleared her throat.' God, Bryn, it's not a test, he's just asking you to tell them why you're   
here!!'" I'm Bryony...Um...Riley and I," she gestured toward her friend, speaking in fluent Japanese," are from   
America, California to be exact, which is on the West Coast-"' Duh, Bryn, 'course they know that!!'-" and we moved   
in today, in the east suburbs of Tokyo..." she cleared her throat again." We've been best friends since we were   
ten, and this is a big step for us, so we hope we'll like it here and make new... friends..." She blew out a sigh   
of relief when the students clapped.  
The sensei nodded his approval." The students are taking a history test right now, but I'll give the two of   
you a slightly different one to see where you stand with the class, okay?" They nodded." Riley, why don't you take   
a seat behind Keyla there, who's behind Amy in the blue, and Bryony, why don't you sit across from her, behind   
Lita, the brunette?"  
They nodded. Bryn had never felt more like a circus freak, which she would gladly tell Riley after this was   
done. Why were they all staring? And the guys that were staring (all the guys in the class) made her especially   
nervous. Hadn't they ever seen a girl with white hair before? Probably not, but...  
Riley and Bryn took their seats, the former settling in elegantly and the latter plopping down with relief,   
glad the stares weren't on her anymore.  
Lita turned in her seat real quick, and gave her a warm smile." You did real good up there!" she winked,   
and extended her hand." I couldn't have done better. My name's Lita Kino."  
Bryony smiled her first real smile, and shook her hand gladly. Oddly, but the minute their hands touched,   
both felt a spark of something.' What was that??' both thought. Bryn shook her head a little.' She's got such an   
odd, powerful aura. Like that girl. Could they be...?' Smiling in a little confusion, she answered," Hi, pleased   
to meet you, Lita."  
' Whoa, this chick's got a shitload of power!' Lita thought in a daze. It made her dizzy-where did a young   
girl get as much power as...what felt like an outer senshi?' I'm gonna have to ask Amy to look her up.'" Let me   
see your schedule so I know if we have any classes together!"  
Bryn nodded, and dug in her pocket for it." I know it's in here somewhere." Lita giggled while she pulled   
out receipts, papers, and finally her schedule amongst the pile of junk from her pockets." Here you go." She   
spared a glance at Riley, and rolled her eyes at the sight of her best friend turning around to chat with a guy,   
as usual, as the quizzes were passed out.  
" Cool, we've got math, science and lunch together!"  
Bryony smiled back as the sensei placed the tests on their desks and handed her and Riley pencils. It seemed   
like she would be making friends, after all. 


	5. Ice Queen

Chapter IV  
  
" She's lost in coma where it's beautiful, intoxicated from the deep sleep...sleeping to escape reality, but you like it like that..."  
" Fiction (Dreams in Digital) by Orgy  
  
Way above the clouds and sky, where the stars burnt cruelly bright against the dark recesses of space, the mirror floated intact.  
  
All by herself, she didn't need anybody. No one but herself and her lovely dreams. That was all the dark moon queen needed in her life. Not the earth. Not Zirconia. Just her lovely dreams, herself and her own dreams....  
  
" I shall never doubt the power of innocent dreams," came a cold whisper. The bruised and cut face of a tragically beautiful queen stared numbly out into space, locked in her mirror for all eternity. She pressed her cold, white hands against the cool glass, a silent tear streaking out of her left cat-slitted eye." I shall never doubt the dreams of innocent children." Her eyes clouded over, staring at a meteor racing across her vision." I shall never doubt..."  
  
The meteor stopped. She gasped, as it came back towards her. Then, to her amazement, she discovered it wasn't a meteor at all-! It was a little bright shining light thing that grew a little brighter as it zipped toward her, right in front of her face on the other side.  
  
" Queen Nehelenia...?"  
  
She gasped again, wiping away her shameless tears." Yes," she answered, barely a whisper.  
  
" Do you want out of that mirror?"  
  
She nodded vigorously." Oh, yes!"  
  
" Do you want revenge for what has been done to you?"  
  
She stared at the little light, thinking. She then shook her head." I just want to dream," she said brokenly." I don't want to be ugly anymore, I just want to stay beautiful-"  
  
" Oh, but you can."  
  
She hesitated." I...can?"  
  
" Oh, yes. What if I told you that you could have all the dreams in the world at your fingertips? Hmm?"  
  
Her eyes glowed at the thought, then narrowed." What is the catch?" She may have been beaten down, but she wasn't stupid.  
  
" No catch. Well...I may be fibbing just a little. You will have to do something for me, but that something will get you out of the mirror. Tell me, Nehelenia-do you remember discovering something peculiar about the boy guardian you held captive? For the crystal?" At her puzzled look, it continued." No, I guess not. Do you remember the day you took over Elysion, anything odd about that day?"  
  
The lightbulb clicked on in Nehelenia's head." Why...yes. Zirconia, my sorcerer, told me something had escaped...he said not to worry about it..."  
  
" Ah, and what else did you find out along those lines?"  
  
She searched her memory, than it came back to her hard and fast so she gasped." The boy," she hissed out." He had a...sibling, or something my servants told me...a girl..." The bracelets." He had a sister!"  
  
" Very good!" It praised." Now, I am an old servant of a thing called Death Busters. And I found out a lot about Elysion, becuase I wanted what they had-all those pretty dreams and all that power in the Golden Crystal...and I found out that the Guardian's sister is on Earth, as you know, but that she's also back in Tokyo...where the other Sailor Scouts are."  
  
Nehelenia's teeth grinded." Stupid Sailor brat!...Wait...Where did you get all this information?"  
  
" You could say I'm an old acquiantence of Zirconia. Anyway, peculiar enough," it explained in a talking-to-children-voice," I found out that his sister had a great amount of power, has a great amount of power, that's been lying dormant. She has the twin to the Golden Crystal-it's a pretty jewel that does the opposite of what the Golden Crystal does-instead of opening the gates to Elysion, as the Golden Crystal does, in its full power it allows the possessor open access to every dream in the world, meaning you would have a lot of power on your hands...you could take over the world with it. What do you say? I let you out, we conquer. All I need from you is your cooperation."  
  
Nehelenia stared the light down, promising visions filling her mind. Slowly, she nodded." Good can come of this."  
  
It chuckled as it entered the mirror and into her body, making her gasp as it resided in her mind dominantly.  
  
" Oh, yes," Nehelenia said, smiling cruelly." Good will come of this. The Sailor Scouts won't know what hit them..."  
  
***  
  
" No, no, no!" Trista paced back and forth in front of the time gates, not knowing what to do or where to start. The mist swirled violently against her rapid pace, her staff clutched so tightly in one hand her knuckles were white." This wasn't supposed to happen, this isn't supposed to play out like this!" she stressed to herself. There was supposed to be no interference! What happens now? She knew damn well they were supposed to fight the final battle with Nehelenia and move on to the bigger problem, but this disturbance...  
  
" This isn't supposed to happen," she said desparately. Raising her staff, in a swirl of mist she took off to visit a few old friends.  
  
***  
  
" Whew!" Riley let herself fly backwards and plop on the couch, as she opened a can of pop and chugged it down." That was the best first day I've ever had! Especially since we're a world away from home!"  
  
" Speak for yourself!" Bryony put down her bookbag and immediately started putting boxes away in their right rooms. Voices carried through the house, so they talked lesiurely as she strolled around, working." I shouldn't even try to count how many boys you talked to!"  
  
Riley grinned." I know it. And those girls were so nice!"  
  
" Yeah." Bryony smiled a little." A little quirky, especially that Serena." Who was the girl who plowed her over that morning-her name so did not fit her personality." Amy's kinda quiet though-"  
  
" Like you are around boys!"  
  
"...I'll ignore that comment. As I said, she's quiet and shy, but they all seem really sweet."  
  
" Yeah, they're good people." The blonde stood up and stretched, took another drink and strolled to the kitchen to put away dishes." Too bad we have so much homework on our first day, though."  
  
" I know. But like it'll be a problem."  
  
Two sets of giggles rang the air." Remember, we'll look suspicious if we get it all right."  
  
" Yeah. And speaking of suspicious-" Riley reached on her tiptoes to put a few large dishes on the top shelves," did you notice their auras?"  
  
" Who couldn't, Riley?" Bryn poked her head through the bars of the banister of the second floor loft that peered down in the kitchen." I got that shocking reminder when I shook hands with Lita. Got a different one from Amy, Mina, and Serena had the most impressive of all!"  
  
" Yeah," Riley agreed quietly." Almost felt like they each had their own elements, but not quite. Like, Amy's felt like water."  
  
Bryony kept silent. She knew Riley knew what she was talking about: sorceresses usually do.  
  
" Lita didn't really have one, but I smelled something similar to lightning. Mina...I dunno, something warm...light, I guess. And Serena, just..." she shook her head." If I had to put a color to it, it shimmered bright and silver around her." She shrugged, took another drink of pop." But we'll find out when the time comes, eh?"  
  
Bryn smiled." Guess so. They seem familiar, though." She watched Riley nod. Suddenly, a shiver of something passed through her.  
  
Riley dropped her pop bottle in shock, spraying pop all over the wooden floor. She looked up at Bryony, fighting off the shudders." What...was that?"  
  
She shook her head, ruby eyes wide." I don't know. But I think we just found our reason for being here."  
  
  
***  
  
Amara listened carefully to the story Trista had to tell, sipping a cup of late coffee. She looked over to Michelle, who was looking at her with a worried expression on her face, curled up on the blue leather couch of their apartment.  
  
" I didn't know who else to go to with this," Trista finished. She was no longer in sailor form, the staff safely tucked away until she called it. Now, she donned a normal-looking maroon business suit." This is completely wrong, and I tried to right it, but it won't work. We just have to play it out."  
  
Amara nodded, eyes closed." So this means we go back to Tokyo early?"  
  
Trista nodded, looking over to Michelle." Yes. Is it all right with you, Neptune?"  
  
Michelle blinked, then stood up, deep in thought.' I'd wanted to see the girls again, the other scouts, one more time, but not under these circumstances.' She smiled a little at her two companions." Let me go get my bags and my violin."  
  
Trista nodded." Excellent. Oh, and there's one more person we'll definitely need."  
  
" Who?" both asked. 


End file.
